Dear fellow Absolute Write-rs,
Longtime lurker, first time poster, as you can see. And if you're here, in this forum, then like me, you're committed to improving your writing, to perfecting your latest manuscript. That's huge. Believe me, I know!
I just turned in the manuscript for my second book, and according to Microsoft Word, I spent hundreds of hours working on it, over the course of three months. It was a learning experience, let me tell you. Every rewrite I've ever done on every single manuscript has taught me so much, and that one was no exception.
I've also been blessed to study with some great mentors over the years: award-winning screenwriter Jacob Krueger; long-time Simon & Schuster copy editor Linda Roberts; Tom Jenks, founder of Narrative Magazine and editor of Hemingway's posthumously published The Garden of Eden; and many others -- authors, playwrights, and more.
Now, I want to pass on this knowledge.
I don't profess to be an expert. I'm no self-proclaimed guru. All I am is a hard-working writer busting my hump putting out novels and trying to build a career. I spend my days chained to the desk writing, while also working odd jobs to pay the bills.
And I remember all the years I spent banging my head against the wall of the writing industry while I listened to the wrong people tell me how to write. How to express myself. How to tell a story that, in truth, I already knew how to tell. It wasn't until I met the right people who nurtured my strengths, rather than trying to fit me into a box, that my writing truly blossomed.
That's why I've decided to start freelance editing -- so I can nurture and encourage writers, and pass on the experience I've gained. I want to do it with a perspective of what it's like in the trenches, without any preconceptions of how anything should be. I want to create an open line of communication with my clients, so we can have a real dialogue about craft and execution, rather than leaving them with a page full of notes and a "goodbye and good luck."
But hey, this is a new venture. And it's time for me to show that I'm up to the task. I'd like to extend the offer to edit the first 25 pages of anyone's manuscript, be it a novel, screenplay, or anything in between. Any genre. Any subject matter.
And as I said before, I want an open line of communication. In addition to comprehensive edits, I'll also give you my honest response to the material -- what's working, and what needs work. And then we can talk about it! Like two writers who just want the piece to be at its best, ready to send to an agent or publisher. Ready to be on shelves, shiny and pristine with that new book smell.
Because I know that's what you want. And so do I.
All I ask is for an honest testimonial at the end of the process. This is as much for me as for you, I admit! Editing and working with other writers is something that I enjoy, and I'd love nothing more than to put aside the part time work and pursue freelance editing as a means of making a living while I continue to write novels. But I need your help for that -- an objective accounting of my skillset that I can share with clients once I actually put the wheels in motion. Basically, I'm asking all of you to be beta readers for my editing abilities!
So drop me a line! Simply send an email to [email protected]. Put the words "Free Edit" in the subject line, and attach the first 25 pages of your ms., in Microsoft Word format.
I look forward to hearing from you all. Happy writing!
Sincerely,
Dan Levinson
Author of Fires of Man
[email protected]
Longtime lurker, first time poster, as you can see. And if you're here, in this forum, then like me, you're committed to improving your writing, to perfecting your latest manuscript. That's huge. Believe me, I know!
I just turned in the manuscript for my second book, and according to Microsoft Word, I spent hundreds of hours working on it, over the course of three months. It was a learning experience, let me tell you. Every rewrite I've ever done on every single manuscript has taught me so much, and that one was no exception.
I've also been blessed to study with some great mentors over the years: award-winning screenwriter Jacob Krueger; long-time Simon & Schuster copy editor Linda Roberts; Tom Jenks, founder of Narrative Magazine and editor of Hemingway's posthumously published The Garden of Eden; and many others -- authors, playwrights, and more.
Now, I want to pass on this knowledge.
I don't profess to be an expert. I'm no self-proclaimed guru. All I am is a hard-working writer busting my hump putting out novels and trying to build a career. I spend my days chained to the desk writing, while also working odd jobs to pay the bills.
And I remember all the years I spent banging my head against the wall of the writing industry while I listened to the wrong people tell me how to write. How to express myself. How to tell a story that, in truth, I already knew how to tell. It wasn't until I met the right people who nurtured my strengths, rather than trying to fit me into a box, that my writing truly blossomed.
That's why I've decided to start freelance editing -- so I can nurture and encourage writers, and pass on the experience I've gained. I want to do it with a perspective of what it's like in the trenches, without any preconceptions of how anything should be. I want to create an open line of communication with my clients, so we can have a real dialogue about craft and execution, rather than leaving them with a page full of notes and a "goodbye and good luck."
But hey, this is a new venture. And it's time for me to show that I'm up to the task. I'd like to extend the offer to edit the first 25 pages of anyone's manuscript, be it a novel, screenplay, or anything in between. Any genre. Any subject matter.
And as I said before, I want an open line of communication. In addition to comprehensive edits, I'll also give you my honest response to the material -- what's working, and what needs work. And then we can talk about it! Like two writers who just want the piece to be at its best, ready to send to an agent or publisher. Ready to be on shelves, shiny and pristine with that new book smell.
Because I know that's what you want. And so do I.
All I ask is for an honest testimonial at the end of the process. This is as much for me as for you, I admit! Editing and working with other writers is something that I enjoy, and I'd love nothing more than to put aside the part time work and pursue freelance editing as a means of making a living while I continue to write novels. But I need your help for that -- an objective accounting of my skillset that I can share with clients once I actually put the wheels in motion. Basically, I'm asking all of you to be beta readers for my editing abilities!
So drop me a line! Simply send an email to [email protected]. Put the words "Free Edit" in the subject line, and attach the first 25 pages of your ms., in Microsoft Word format.
I look forward to hearing from you all. Happy writing!
Sincerely,
Dan Levinson
Author of Fires of Man
[email protected]
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However, in seriousness, I'd welcome you to send me some pages if you'd like to see whether or not I'm up to task.